A forest fire has erupted in the Chernobyl exclusion zone forests during tree cutting works, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

While a helicopter and two planes were dispatched to the site, the fire is still ongoing.

“At 12:35pm [local time] during technological tree cutting works in the exclusion and obligatory evacuation zone at the territory of Lubyanskoye Forestry, tree residue and the forest bed have caught fire.

The fire spread out to an area of some 20 hectares,” the State Emergency Service of Ukraine said in a statement.

Wildfires in nuclear-contaminated zones can have grave consequences, as they release radioactive particles accumulated in the trees and plants.

In 2014, an international team of scientists published a study, warning that “the resulting releases of Cesium-137 after hypothetical wildfires in Chernobyl’s forests are classified as high in the International Nuclear Events Scale (INES).

The estimated cancer incidents and fatalities are expected to be comparable to those predicted for Fukushima.”

The Chernobyl nuclear power plant was badly damaged after an accident on April 26, 1986, when a failed safety experiment caused a catastrophic meltdown at the plant’s Reactor 4.

An explosion followed, destroying the reactor and releasing large amounts of radiation into the atmosphere.

People living in the area around the power station were evacuated due to nuclear contamination and an exclusion zone was established.

Select comments:

Blue DogThis is wonderful. A whole new generation can breathe-in all that nuclear power has to offer.

ThanksRussiadd3dNothing even close to the Soviets and Russia.

Two years ago, the Russian government provided a tally: two submarines, 14 reactors — five of which contain spent nuclear fuel — 19 other vessels sunk with radioactive waste on board, and about 17,000 containers holding radioactive waste.

The last known dumping occurred in 1993.And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg

green trees3dlol they were cutting down radioactive trees to make radioactive lumber

Laura KeyLeader3dWHY would they be tree cutting *THIS* time of the year?? This is when baby wild animals are born, birds are nesting.... and new growth is formed. Tree cutting should be in the fall!

Purple Apple@PurpleAppleTransform_EarthLeader3dDon't worry! American paid weapons are coming. More destruction and chaos for Ukraine.